Reflections from the Heart

So what can be done? Where is the common ground in our midst that is fertile enough to feed the seeds of unity? What issues need to be laid aside for the sake of the kingdom of heaven?

The issues that divide our Christian communities are broad. They are steeped with tradition and have been inbred for generations. Even as Paul warned the Corinthians against aligning with the prophets of choice such as Apollos and Cephas, Christianity has evolved into a set of cliques and sects based on the teachings of one leader or another. "I follow the Wesleyan tradition." "I am a Calvinist." "Our church follows the teachings of John Darby." "Martin Luther is our inspiration."

The list does not end with the prophets of the past. Modern-day leaders such as Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson, Billy Graham, James Dobson, Bill Hybels, and many more inspire zeal, excitement, and a strong sense of self-righteousness.

Individuals hop from one church to another, seeking just the right situations where their beliefs are affirmed and not challenged. We strive to be on the winning team that supports the right issues and promises victory in the end. We wave our banners and unfurl our colors in an attempt to cheer our team to victory just as though it were Super Bowl Sunday. Victory assures our righteousness.

There is nothing wrong in feeling good about our churches or the successes in ministry we are having. But just as in a football game, the feeling of victory is only felt by half of the people. The other half walk away as losers.

In the kingdom of heaven there are no losers. The Beatitudes make this point quite clearly. (Matt 5:1-12) The kingdom of heaven is for the outcasts of society. And no matter with which winning team we align ourselves, on some level, we find that we are all outcasts. We are outcasts as women, children, or men. We are secluded in age and in illness. We are alone in our anxieties and worries. We are naked in our hearts and in our souls. If we are to draw a line that separates the 'ins' from the 'outs,' we will find that, depending on who draws the line, we will all be out.

So how do we erase these differences? Where is that fertile and common ground? It starts with the ability to talk to one another face to face and heart to heart. It begins with the elimination of exclusivity? It grows by erasing feelings of closure and self-righteousness and flourishes through the ministry of acceptance. It explodes when we glorify our differences and celebrate the presence of Christ in the world.

Acceptance is the love of God. Remembering that Christ came to save the world and not to condemn it, (John 3:17) we are called to reach out beyond our selves and embrace the world with love. We are to love those different from ourselves. We are called to love the outcast. We are called to create peace and harmony in the world. We are called to provide comfort. We are to be gentle. We are to feed and be fed. And we are show mercy in everything we do.

We are called to be builders of the kingdom of heaven…not a kingdom that may happen in some future millennium when the stars and the geopolitical maps are all aligned, and not when the "powers of evil" are eliminated. The kingdom of heaven is at hand, now and forevermore.

Have we emptied the Cross of its power? How can we tell?

The promise that attracted us to Christianity in the first place is that no matter what we may have done, a life dedicated to Christ is a changed life. Our relationship with Christ means transformation. Things of which we have no control in our lives can be controlled. Issues of sinfulness are forgiven. Feelings of worthlessness are erased. We find purpose and hope in Christ. These are the promises of the Cross. This is where all our questions are answered. This is where everything makes sense. We all are equal in the shadow if its glory.

So where do we go wrong? How is it that we so readily walk away from the Cross and onto our soap boxes of self-righteousness? Isn't that how divisiveness develops - when two people believe different things? Isn't this how lines are drawn and teams formed? Aren't these the foundations to conflict and war? Aren't these the seeds to hate, pride, envy, and bitterness?

Jesus, however, is not calling for mindless conformity. He glorifies our differences in the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:1-12) and lifted our uniqueness with His healings and teachings. He constantly reached out to the outcasts and embraced them for their differences. He invited them to the banquet and gave them the seats of honor.

So how can we honor all that is unique in an individual but refrain from allowing those differences to create divisiveness and conflict? How do we resolve the differences in ways that the kingdom of God is glorified? How do we open the love of God to the world and not just to those who think as we think? How do we refrain from closing the doors to the kingdom by pontification, justification, and rationalization? But most importantly how do we keep our focus on the love of Christ and live holy lives immersed in His truth?

Is there an easy answer? Is there one Bible verse that bridges all our differences? Is there a common bond that can be used to bring the kingdom of heaven to the world? John writes that Jesus came to save the world not to condemn it. (John 3:17) Is this verse enough to bridge our differences? Should our actions reflect salvation instead of condemnation? Is it too idealistic to simply use love as a guideline in an attempt to follow the great commandments? (Matt. 22:37-40) Or is the love of God revealed when we focus on the Cross as Paul indicated to the Corinthians? (1 Corinthians 1:18)

Is there hope for Christianity in this modern day world of selfish pursuits? Or are we always destined to fall short? Should we simply accept that we will stray from unity and our lives will always be filled with conflict? Will there always be differences of opinion that isolate people from God's influence and empty the Cross of its power?

Any effort at eliminating the differences between us will probably be a failed waste of time but would it hurt to try?

The Christian world is dividing itself up and taking sides. Lines have been drawn in the sand. Debates are running rampant. Accusations abound. Name calling and labeling profusely rule the day.

In our post-election climate, Christians are searching for a sense of Christian identity. The outspoken, Christian conservative movement has new found momentum but is not a flavor that has lasting appeal for everyone. The Christian Left is fragmented but beginning to speak out. Divisions within the Christian community are the result.

In Paul's letter to the Corinthians he simply says: Stop! "I beg you, brothers and sisters, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that all of you agree with each other and not be split into groups." (1 Corinthians 1:10 - NCV) Today, we are facing a crisis in the Christian church that far surpasses the "Apollos vs. Peter" debate of Corinth. But it is the same debate - a debate of identity.

Whereas the issues are many and the lines a bit gray, the basis for this identity crisis stems from a focus on Social Justice versus Righteousness. Do we have the moral obligation to impose a specific brand of morality onto the world in the name of Christ or should our hearts reach out and embrace the world in love?

The Christian Left will say that it is not our job to judge the world. Jesus taught us to love one another, including our enemies. All aspects of our faith should be measured by our love. "But if I do not have love, I am only a noisy bell or a crashing cymbal." (1 Corinthians 13:1 NCV) The problems of the world are better served through loving outreach.

On the other hand, the Conservative Right throws its emphasis towards righteous living. The problems of our society are caused by ignoring God moral plan. We need to create a climate of righteous living. In this view, the sins become the main focus and we are called by God to fight sin, wherever we find it. "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness..." (Romans 1:18 - NRSV)

These two little paragraphs do not begin to account for the current schism in the Christian community. A doctoral treatise on the topic would probably fall short in capturing the complexity of this modern debate.

These, however, are not new issues unique to a modern age. Jesus began the debate in His unceasing attack on the legalistic and literal views of the Pharisees and Sadducees. Evidence of this debate also can be found in letters of Paul and James. Paul accused Peter of being too legalistic and not allowing the message of Christ to be openly available to the world. Martin Luther and John Wesley, among many others, were deeply involved with these same issues during their lives. We are not breaking new ground.

Is Paul's advice pertinent in our modern society? Are we wrong to debate and divide? Is Christian harmony important? If so, why? What would Jesus say? Ultimately, isn't this the question all Christians should ask?

Where do Christians get the idea that they are the moral champions for the world? Did Jesus ever teach us to go out into the world and make everyone live by a certain code of ethics? Is this how He called us to build the kingdom of heaven? In parable after parable, Jesus illustrates the wrong behavior of the religious leaders of the times. The Pharisees were full of themselves. They had dedicated their lives to reading scripture and monitoring the code of conduct of other people. They were prideful, arrogant, and condescending. And they were wrong.

If Jesus were to walk among us today, where would He find the Pharisees of our modern world? Would He find them in the bars, taverns, and nightclubs of America? Or is it more likely that they are still to be found in our churches and synagogues? Would He be pleased with the rhetoric of our religious leaders? Or would He, once again, hold them up as examples of a religion that has become too full of itself?

What "hot topic" issues would He support and how would He support them? Would He demonstrate and picket in Washington D.C. in support of the Ten Commandments or against abortion? Would Jesus be involved in political agendas, discussing nation-state status, or debating military options? Or do you think He would be more likely to be found in the streets and slums of our cities, handing out coats and words of encouragement? Where would we find Jesus and what would He be doing?

The answer to those questions can be found by reading each and every parable as they are related to us in the Gospels. We can assume that human behavior has not changed that dramatically since the time of Jesus. We still remain overly preoccupied with our own self-interests. Human traits such as pride, ambition, arrogance, and insensitivity still rule the day. Leaders still become self-absorbed with their pet projects and important issues. Barriers caused by human failure and religious dogma still keep thousands, if not millions, of people from knowing God.

So, as disciples of Christ, what are we to do? Are we to create some kind of moral code of ethics and jam it down the throat of the world because we know what is right and good? Are we to continue erecting buildings that glorify our self-righteousness and effectively keep millions from worshipping God? Are we to go on TV and espouse moral dogma and tell others that if they don't agree with our way of thinking then they must not be true Christians? Look around at our world today and that is what you will see Christians doing; advocating and legislating morality.

Should we, instead, choose to follow the parables of Christ as He intended them to be followed, we may find our pathways of ministry taking a slightly different turn. The question still remains: Where would we find Jesus in our modern world? The answer to this question is very important because with it we will discover where we should also be. As Christians, we are to walk as Jesus would walk. As His followers we are called to do what He would do. Would He be in the streets healing and teaching or would He be in the ivory towers espousing dogma and self-righteousness? What kind of Christian will you be?

Closing Prayer:

Gracious Lord: How have we gone this long without really learning the lessons of Jesus? We consider ourselves modern and intellectual and yet, the plain truth of discipleship is overlooked. Your grace has lifted us into the promise of a glory too great to imagine and yet, we remain filled with pride and self-worth. Worse yet, we condemn others. We look out into the world and loudly preach of issues that lift ourselves into a cloud of self-righteousness. We fight for the right to display ancient stone tablets but allow poverty to run rampant in the world. We demand that the world must act according to a specific code of ethics and if it doesn't then it is damned. We tell others that since they disagree with us on some issue then they must not be Christians. We seem to feel that we have a lock on how the world should operate. We are proud of our beliefs and we are glad we are not like the sinners around us. God forgive us for we are still the Pharisees you tried so desperately to keep us from becoming. We are sinners but our pride and arrogance keeps us from recognizing how deeply we hurt you. Lord, forgive us and then open our eyes and hearts to your truth. Lead us into the paths of righteousness not self-righteousness. Show us how to bring your love into the world through healing, loving, and teaching. Remind us that this is the pathway to discipleship you are calling us to follow. Help us to discover where Christ would be in our lives and strengthen us to go there. Through Jesus Christ we pray, Amen.

Inspired by Luke 18:9-14 and by the current trend of Christians in American politics to label and demean everyone who disagrees on any principle, idea, or platform. In all things, may God's will be done.